Impaired emotional-like behavior and serotonergic function during protracted abstinence from chronic morphine.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Opiate abuse is a chronic relapsing disorder, and maintaining prolonged abstinence remains a major challenge. Protracted abstinence is characterized by lowered mood, and clinical studies show elevated comorbidity between addiction and depressive disorders. At present, their relationship remains unclear and has been little studied in animal models. Here we investigated emotional alterations during protracted abstinence, in mice with a history of chronic morphine exposure.

Methods

C57BL6J mice were exposed to a chronic intermittent escalating morphine regimen (20-100 mg/kg). Physical dependence (naloxone-precipitated withdrawal), despair-related behaviors (tail suspension test), and social behaviors were examined after 1 or 4 weeks of abstinence. Stress hormones and

SUBMITTER: Goeldner C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3014999 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature